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i'lvi-in of the w;it liiiian l gabscriptiob per year two dollars payable in advance but it not paid in advance two dollars 8ud fifty cts will be charged apcbktiskmkvts inserted at 1 for the first and 2o cts for each subsequent insertion court orders charged 25 per ct higher than these rates a liberal deduc tion io those who advertise by the year letters to the editors must be post paid presidents message to the senate and house of rejircsenlatives of the un'ded states : it was known that mines ofthe precious metals existed to a considerable extent in california at the time of its acquisition â€” recent discoveries render it probable that ! these mines are more extensive and val . uable than was anticipated the ac j counts of the abundance of gold in that i territory are such an extraordinary char acter as would scarcely command belief were they not corroborated by the authen tic reports of oliicers in the public service who have visited the mineral district and derived the facts which they detail from personal observation reluctant to credit the reports in general circulation as to the quantity of gold the olficer commanding our forces in california visited the mine ral district in july last for the purpose of obtaining accurate information on the sub ject his report to the war department ofthe result of his examination and the facts obtained on the spot is herewith laid before congress when he visited the country there were about four thousand persons engaged in collecting gold â€” there is every reason to believe lhat the number of persons so employed has since been augmented the explorations al ready made warrant the belief that the supply is very large and that gold is found at various places in an extensive district of country information received from officers of the navy and other sources though not so full and minute confirm the accounts of he commander of our military force in california it appears also from these eports.that mines of quicksilver are found n the vicinity of the gold region one of ihem is now being worked and is believ ed to be among the most productive in the world the effects produced by the discovery of these rich mineral deposites and the success which has attended the labors of those who have resorted to them have produced a surprising change in the state : of affairs in california labor commands fan exorbitant price and all other pursuits i iut that of searching for the precious met j ' bis are abandoned nearly the whole of j the male population of the country have j gone to the gold district ships arriving on the coast are deserted by their crews j and their voyages suspended for want of j sailors our commanding officer there j entertains apprehensions that soldiers can ! not be kept in the public service without ! a large increase of pay desertions in his ! command have become frequent and he j j recommends that those who shall with | 1 stand the strong temptation and remain faithful should be rewarded this abundance of gold and the all-en j grossing pursuit of it have already caused | in california an unprecedented rise in the price ofthe necessaries of life that we may the more speedily and j fully avail ourselves of the undeveloped i wealth of these mines it is deemed of vast j i importance lhat a branch of the mint of i the united states be authorized to be es j i tablished at your present session in cali ! i fornia among other signal advantages j which would result from such an establish \ | ment would be that of raising the gold to its par value in that territory a branch \ mint ofthe united states at the great com mercial depot on the west coast would convert into our own coin not only the ! gold derived from our own rich mines but j also the bullion and specie which our ' commerce may bring from the whole west i coast of central and south america â€” i the west coast of america and the adja . cent interior embrace the richest and best i mines of mexico new grenada central * america chili and peru the bullion and specie drawn from these countries and especially from those of western mexico and peru to an amount in value of many millions of dollars arc now an nually diverted and carried by the ships ol great britain to her own ports to be recoined or used to sustain her national bank and thus contribute to increase her ability to command so much of the com merce of the world if a branch mint be established at the great commercial point upon that coast a vast amount of bullion < and specie would how thither to be re i coined and pass thence to new orleans i new york and other atlantic cities â€” the amount of our constitutional curren cy at home would be greatly increased while its circulation abroad would be pro moted it is well known to our merchants trading to china and the west coast of america that great inconvenience and loss arc experienced from the fact that ; our coins arc not current at their par va ; lue in those countries the powers of europe far removed from the west coast o america by the atlantic ocean which intervenes and by a tedious and dangerous navigation a round the southern cape of the continent of america can never successfully com pete with the united states in the rich and extensive commerce which is opened to us at so much less cost by the acquisi tion of california the vast importance and commercial â– advantages of california have heretofore remained undeveloped by the government ] ot the country of which it constituted a part now that this fine province is a ! part of our country all the states of the | 1 nion some more immediately and di j rectly than others are deeply interested n the speedy development of its wealth nd resources no section of our coun try is more interested or will be more benefited than the commercial naviga j tlngi and manufacturing interests of the i the carolina watchman brunerttames ) editors 4 proprietors \ " k a g â€¢Â»â€¢'â– â„¢* u,â€ž-i.iu,ri,m i volume v number s3 salisbury n g thursday december 21 1848 eastern mates our planting and farm ing interests in every part of the union will be greatly benefited by it as our commerce and navigation are enlarged and extended our exports of agricultural products and of manufactures will be in creased ; and in the new markets thus opened they cannot fail to command re munerating and profitable prices the acquisition of california and new mexico the settlement of the oregon boundary and the annexation of texas extending to the rio grande are results which combined are of greater conse quence and will add more to the strength and wealth of the nation than any which have preceded them since the adoption of the constitution ttut to effect these great results not on ly california but new mexico must be brought under the control of regularly organized governments the existing condition of california and of that part of new mexico lying west of the rio grande and without the limits of texas imperiously demand that congress should at its present session organize territorial governments over them upon the exchange of ratifications of the treaty of peace with mexico on the thirtieth of may last the temporary gov ernments which had been established over new mexico and california by our mili 1 tary and naval commanders by virtue of the rights of war ceased to derive any obligatory force from that source of au thority and having been ceded to the united states all government and con trol over them under the authority of mexico had ceased to exist impressed with the necessity of establishing territo rial governments over them i recommend ed the subject to the favorable considera tion of congress in my message commu nicating the ratified treaty of peace on the sixth of july last and invoked their action at that session congress adjourn j ed without making any provision for their ! government the inhabitants by the j transfer of their country had become en ' titled to the benefits of our laws and con ! stitution and yet were left without any ! regularly organized government since j that time the very limited power posses sed by the executive has been exercised to preserve and protect them from the in j evitable consequences of a state of an ! archy the only government which re j mained was that established by the mili i tary authority during the war regard ing this to be a de facto government and that by the presumed consent of the in habitants it might be continued tempora rily they were advised to conform and | submit to it for the short intervening pe riod before congress would again assem i ble and could legislate on the subject â€” ! the views entertained by the executive | on this point are contained in a communi \ cation of the secretary of state dated the seventh of october last which was forwarded for publication tocalifornia and new mexico a copy of which is here with transmitted the small military force of the regular army which was serving within the lim its of the acquired territories at the close of the war was retained in them and ad ditional forces have been ordered there for the protection of the inhabitants and to preserve and secure the rights and in terests of the united states no revenue has been or could be col lected at the ports in california because congress failed to authorize the establish ment of custom-houses or the appoint ment of officers for that purpose the secretary of the treasury by a circular letter addressed to collectors of the customs on the seventh day of octo ber last a copy of which is herewith trans mitted exercised all the power with which he was invested by law in pursuance of the act of the four teenth of august last extending the ben efit of our post office laws to the people of california the postmaster general has appointed two agents who have pro ceeded the one to california and the oth er to oregon with authority to make the necessary arrangements for carrying its provisions into effect the monthly line of mail steamers from panama to astoria has been required to " stop and deliver and take mails at san diego monterey and san francisco these mail steamers connected by the isthmus of panama with the line of mail i steamers on the atlantic between new york and chagres will establish a regu lar mail communication with california it is our solemn duty to provide with the least practicable delay for new mex ico and california regularly organized territorial governments the causes of the failure to do this at the last session of congress are well known and deeply to : be regretted with the opening prospects of increased prosperity and national great j ness which the acquisition of these rich and extensive territorial possessions af fords how irrational it would be to forego or to reject these advantages by the agi tation of a domestic question which is coeval with the existence of our govern ment itself and to endanger by internal strifes geographical divisions and heated contests for political power or for any other cause the harmony of the glorious union of our confederated states ; that 1 union which binds as together as one i people and which for sixty years has been lour shield and protection against every j danger in the eyes of the world and of j posterity how trivial and insignificant will be all our internal divisions and strug gles compared wilh the preservation of this union of the states in all its vigor and with all its countless blessings ! no i patriot would foment and excite geogra : phical and sectional divisions no lover ! of his country would deliberately calcu late the value of the union future gen j orations would look in amazement upon tb.2 folly of such a course other nations at the present day would look upon it ; with astonishment ; and such of them as desire to maintain and perpetuate thrones ' and monarchical or aristocratical princi ; pies will view it with exultation and de j light because in it they will see the ele ments of faction which they hope must i ultimately overturn our system ours is the great example of a prosperous and ; free self governed republic commanding | the admiration and the imitation of all i the lovers of freedom throughout the j world how solemn therefore is the du ty how impressive the call upon us and upon all parts of our country to cultivate a patriotic spirit of harmony of good fel lowship of compromise and mutual con cession in the administration of the in comparable system of government formed by our fathers in the midst of almost inse parable difficulties and transmitted to us with the injunction that we should enjoy its blessings and hand it down unimpaired to those who may come after us ! in view of the high and responsible du ties which we owe to ourselves and to mankind i trust you may be able at your present session to approach the adjust ment of the only domestic question which seriously threatens or probably ever can threaten to disturb the harmony and suc cessful operation of our system the immensely valuable possessions of new mexico and california are already inhabited by a considerable population â€” attracted by their great fertility their mineral wealth their commercial advan tages and the salubrity^of the climate emigrants from the older states in great numbers are already preparing to seek new homes in these inviting regions shall the dissimilarity of the domestic institutions in the different states prevent us from providing for them suitable gov ernments ? these institutions existed at the adoption of the constitution but the obstacles which they interposed were overcome by that spirit of compromise which is now i invoked in a conflict of opinions or of interests real or imaginary between different sections of our country neither can justly demand all which it might desire to obtain each in the true spirit of our institutions should concede something to the other our gallant forces in the mexican war by whose patriotism and unparalleled deeds of arms we obtained these possessions as an indemnity for our just demands a gaiust mexico were composed of citizens who belonged to no one state or section of our union they were men from slave holding and non-slaveholding states from the north and the south from the east : and the west they were all companions in-arms and fellow-citizens of the same i common country engaged in the same common cause when prosecuting that war they were brethren and friends and shared alike with each other common toils dangers and sufferings now when their work is ended when peace is restored and they return again to their homes put off the habiliments of war take their places in society and resume their pursuits in civil life surely a spirit of harmony and concession and of equal regard for the rights of all and of all sections ofthe union ought to prevail in providing governments for the acquired territories â€” the fruits of their common service the whole people of the united states and of every state contributed to defray the expenses of that war ; and it would not be just for any one section to exclude another from all parti cipation in the acquired territory this would not be in consonance with the just system of government which the frame rs ofthe constitution adopted the question is believed to be rather abstract than practical whether slavery ever can or would exist in any portion of the acquired territory even if it were left lo the opinion of the slave holding states themselves from the nature of the climate and productions in much the larger portion of it it is certain it could never exist ; | and in tho remainder the probabilities are it ; would not but however this may be the ques ; tion involving as it does a principle of equali | ty of rights ofthe seperatc and several states as equal co-partners in the confederacy should not he disregarded in organizing governments over these terri tories no duty imposed on congress by the constitution requires that they should legislate on the subject of slavery while their power to : do so is not only seriously questioned but de nicd by many ofthe soundest expounders of that ; instrument whether congress shall legislate â– or not the people ofthe acquired territories when assembled in convention to form state constitutions will possess the sole and exclu sive power to determine for themselves wheth er slavery shall or shall not exist within their limits if congress shall abstain from interfer ing with the question the people of those ter ritories will be left free to adjust it as they may think proper when they apply for admission as states into the union no enactment of congress could restrain ihe i people of any of the sovereign stales of the union old or new north or south slave-hold ing or non slave holding from determining the character of their own domestic institutions as j they may deem wise and proper any and all j the states possess this right and congress can ' not deprive ihem of it the people of georgia : might if they chose so alter their constitution j as to abolish slavery within its limits ; and the i people of vermont might so alter their consti ! lotion a9 to admit slavery within its limits â€” ; both stales would possess the right ; though â– as all know it is nut probable lhal either would | exert it it is fortunate for the peace and harmony of : the union that ihis question is in its nature | temporary andean only continue for the brief . period which will intervene before california and new mexico may be admitted as stales j into the union from the tide of population 1 now flowing into them it is highly probable ! that this will soon occur considering the several stales and the citi ' ! zens ofthe several states as equals and cnti i tied lo equal rights under the constitution if this i were an original question it might well be in j sisled on lhat the principle of non-interference , is the true doctrine and that congress could j not in the absence of any express grant of pow j er interfere with iheir relative rights upon a great emergency however and no i der menacing dangers lo the union ihe mis souri compromise lino in respect to slavery was adopted the same line was extended further west in the acquisition of texas after an ac quiescence of nearly thirty years in the princi pie of compromise recognized and established by ihese acts and to avoid the danger to the union which might follow if it were nowdisre j garded i have heretofore expressed the opinion j lhat that line of compromise should be extend ed on the parallel of thirty-six degrees thirty minutes from the western boundary of texas where it now terminates to the pacific ocean ! this is the middle ground of compromise up i on which the different sections of the union may meet as they have heretofore met if this be done it is confidently believed a large j majority ofthe people of every section of the ! country however widely their abstract opinions | on the subject of slavery may differ would j cheerfully and patriotically acquiesce in it and j peace and harmony would again fill our borders j the resliiction north of the line was only yielded to in the case of missouri and texas | upon a principle of compromise made necessa ! ry for the sake of preserving the harmony and possibly the existence ofthe union it was upon these considerations lhat at the ! close of your last session i gave my sanction to ' ihe principle ofthe missouri compromise line by approving and signing the bill to establish " the territorial government ol oregon â€” i from a sincere desire to preserve the harmony ofthe union and in deference for the acts of my predecessors i felt constrained to yield my aequiescience to the extent lo which they had gone in compromising this delicate and danger j ous question but if congress shall now re verse the decision by which the missouri com promise was effected and shall propose io ex tend the restriction over tho whole territory i j south as well as north of the parallel of thirty ' j six degrees thirty minutes it will cease lobe a < ! compromise and must be regarded as an orig i inal question if congress instead of observing the course j â– of non-interference leaving the adoption of their i j own domestic institutions to the people who may j inhabit these territories : or if instead of ex ! tending the missouri compromise line to the pacific shall prefer to submit tho legal and j constitutional questions which may aiise to the decision of ihe judicial tribunals as was propos ed in a bill which passed the senate at your i last session an adjustment may be effected in this mode if tho whole subject be referred to the judiciary all parts ot he union should : cheei fully acquiesce in the final decision ofthe i tribunal created by the constitution for the set tlement of all questions which may arise under the constitution treaties and laws ofthe unit ed states congress is earnestly invoked lor the sake of the union its harmony and our continued pros perity as a nalion lo adjust at its present ses sion this the only dangerous question which ; lies iu our path â€” if not in some one of the : i modes suggested in some oilier which may be satisfactory j in anticipation ofthe establishment of regu lar governments over the acquired territories a joint commission of oliicers ofthe army and na vy has been ordered lo proceed to the coast of california and oregon for the purpose of mak ing reconnoissancps and a report as to ibe pro per silos for the erection of fortifications or other defensive works on land and of suitable situations for naval stations the information which may be expected from a scientific and skillful examination of ihe whole face of the coast will be eminently useful to congress when they come to consider the propriety of making appropriations for these great national subjects proper defences on land will be necessary tor the security and protection of our posses sions ; and the establishment of navy yards and a dock for the repair and construction of vessels will be important alike to our navy and com mercial marine without such establishments , cvery vessel whether of ihe navy or of ihe mer chant service requiring repair must at great expense come round cape horn lo one of our 1 atlantic yards for that purpose wilh such es tablishments vessels it is believed may be built or repaired as cheaply in california as upon the ( atlantic coast they would give : employment lo many of our enterprising ship builders and mechanics and greatly ficilitale j and enlarge our commerce in the pacific as it is ascertained that mines of gold silver copper and quicksilver exist in new mexico and california and lhat nearly all the lands where they are found belong to the 1 nited states it is deemed important to the public in . terest that provision be made for a geological and mineralogical cxaminaiian of these regions measures should be adopted to preserve the â€¢ mineral lands especially such a3 contain the precious metals for the use of the united slates : or if brought into market to seperatc them from \ the farming lands and dispose of ihem in such manner as to secure a largo return of money : to the treasury and at ihe same lime lead to the developments of their wcallb by individual proprietors and purchasers to do this it will be necessary lo provide for an immediate stir ] vey and localionoahe lots if congress should deem it proper to dispose of the mineral lands they should be sold iu small quantities at a fix ' ed minimum price â€¢ i recommend that surveyor generals offices be authorized to be established in new mexico and california and provision made for survey ing and bringing ihe public lands into the mar ket at ihe earliest practicable period in dis posing of these lands i recommend that the right of pre-emption be secured and liberal giants made to the early emigrants who have ; settled or may settle upon them t 11 1 â€¢ it will be important to extend our revenue laws over these territories and especially over california at an early period there is alrea ' dy a considerable commerce with california ' ; and until ports of entry shall lie established and i collectors appniikeil.no revenue can be received if these and oilier necessary and proper mea i sures be adopted for the development of the wealth and resources of new mexico and cal ifornia and regular territorial governments be established over them such will probably be the rapid enlargement of our commerce and navigation and such the addition to the national wealth that the present generation may live lo witness the controlling commercial and mone j tary power ofthe world transferred from loo i don and other european emporiums to the city of new york the apprehensions which were entertained , by some of our statesmen in the earlier periods ; | ol the government that our system was incapa ! ble of operating with sufficient energy and sue , cess over largely extended territorial limits and that if this were attempted it would fail to j pieces by its own weakness have been dissi | ' patcd by our experience in the division of i power between the states and federal govern ment the latter is found to operate with as much energy in the extreme as in the centre il is | as efficient in the remotest ofthe thirty states [ which now compose the union as il was in the ', thirteen states which formed our constitution indeed it may well be doubted whether if j our present population had been confined wilh j in llie limits ol the original thirteen states the j tendencies to centralization and consolidation | would not have been such as to have encroach j ed upon tho essential reserved rights of the t states and thus to have made the federal gov j ernment a widely different one practically from ! what it is in theory and was intended to be by i its fraraers so far from entertaining appre hensions ofthe safety of our system by the ex tension of our territory the belief is confidently i entertained that each new state gives strength and an additional guaranty for the preservation of the union itself in the pursuance ofthe provisions ofthe thir teenth article ofthe treaty of peace friendship i limits and settlement with the republic of mex i ico and of ihe act of july the 29th 1813 claims i of our citizens against the mexican republic a mounting with llie interest thereon to two mil i lion twenty-three thousand eight hundred and | thirty-two dollars and llfiy-one cents have been j liquidated and paid there remain to be paid of these claims seventy-four thousand one hun dred ninety iwo dollars and twenty-six cents congress at its last session having made no provision for executing the fifteenth article of ! the treaty by which the united states assume > to make satisfaction for the unqualified claims | : of our citizens against mexico to " an amount ' not exceeding three and a quarter millions of dollars the subject is again recommended to your favorable consideration the exchange of ratifications of the treaty with mexico took place on the 30th may 1848 within one year after lhat time the commis sioner and surveyor which each government stipulated to appoint are required to meet " at the port of san diego and proceed to run and mark the said boundary in its whole course lo ; the mouth ofthe rio isravo did norte il will ''â– be seen from this provision that the period wilhin which a commissioner and surveyor of the respective governments are to meet at san diego will expire on the 30lh may 1849 â€¢ congress at the close of its last session made an appropriation for the expenses of running and making tho boundary line between the two countries but did not fix the amount of salary which should be paid to the commission er and surveyor lo be appointed on the part of the united states it is desirable that the a mount of compensation which they shall re ceive should be prescribed by law and nol left as at present to executive discretion measures were adopted at the earliest prac â€¢ licablc period to organize the territorial gov ernment of oregon as authorized by the act of the fourteenth of august last the governor and marshal of the territory accompanied by a small military escort left the state of missouri in september last and took the southern route by ihe way of santa fe and river ci i la to cal ifornia with ihe intention of proceeding thence in one of our vessels of war to their destination the governor was fully advised of the great im portance of his early arrival in the country and it is confidently believed he may reach oregon in the latter part ofthe present month or early in the next the other officers for the terri ' tory have proceeded by sea in ihe month of may last i communicated in formation to congress lhal an indian war had broken out in oregon and recommended lhat auihoriiv he given lo raise an adequate number of volunteers to proceed without delay lo ihe1 assistance of our fellow-cilizens iu lhat territo ry the authority to raise such a force nol having been granted by congress as soon as tlnir services could be dispensed with in mexi co orders were issued to the regiment ol mount ed riflemen to proceed to jefferson barracks in missouri and to prepare to match to oregon as soon as the necessary provision could be made shortly before it was ready to march il was arreted bv ibe provision ofthe art parsed by congress on the last day of the last session which directed that all the non commissioned officers musicians and private of that regi ment who had been in service in mexico should upon theii application be entitled to be discharged the effect ofthis provision was to disband iho rank and file of the regiment ; and before their places could be filled by rectuit ihe reason had o far advanced iln it was iiw practicable lor it lo proceed until the opening o ihe nesl spring in iho month oi october last ibe accompany ing communication was received from the guv ernor ofthe temporary government of oregon giving information of the coniinuance of tbe in dian disturbances and ofthe destitution and de fenceless condition ofthe inhabitants oijera were immediately tiansmitled lo the comman der of our squadron in the pacific to despatch lo their assistance a pari of the naval forces on that station to furnish ihem with arm>and am munition and to continue to gi\e ihem such aid and protection as ibe navy could alford until the army could reach llie country it is ihe policy ol humanity and one which has always been pur.-ued by ihe it i 1 slates lo cultivate the good will of ibe aboriginal iribes ol ihis continent and to restrain them from mak ing war and indulging i excesses by mild means rather than by force that ihis could have been done with the tiibes in oregon bad that territory been brought under the gover fo ment of our laws at an earlier peii.,d and had suitable measures been adopted bv c<mgres such as now exist is our intercourse with ibe other indian tribes within our limits cannot bo doubted indeed the immediate and only cause of the existing hostility oi ihe indiana of ore gon is represented io have been ihe long delay ot the i niled states in nuking to them some trifling compensation in such article as they wanted for the country now occupied by our emigrants which ihe indians claimed and over which they formerly roamed this compensation had been promised to ihem by the temporary government established in oregon but its fulfilment had been poslpon ed from lime to time for nearly two years whilst those who made it bad been anxiously wailing for congress to establish a territorial government over the country the indian be came at length distrustful of their good huh and sought redress by plunder and massacre which finally led to the present difficulties a few thousand dollars in suitable presents as a compensation for the country which bad been taken possession of by our citizens would have satisfied the indians and have prevented the war a small amount properly distributed it is confidently believed would soon restore quiet in this indian war our fellow-citizens of or egon have been compelled lo take tho field iu their own defence have performed valuable military services and been subjected to expen ses which have fallen heavily upon them â€” justice demands that provision should be made by congress to compensate them for their set vices and to refund to them the necessary cx penses which they have incurred i repeat the recommendation heretofore made to congress that provisions be made for the appointment of a suitable number of indian a gents to reside among ihe iribes of oregon and that a small sum be appropriated to enable these agents lo cultivate friendly relations with them it this be done the presence of a small milita ry force will be all that is necessary to keep them in check and preserve peace i recommend that several provisions be made as regards the tribes inhabiting northern tex as new mexico california and the extensive region lying between our settlements in mis souri and these possessions as the most effec tive means of preserving peace upon our bor ders and within the recently acquired territories the secretary ofthe treasury will present in his annual report a highly satisfactory state ment ofthe condition ofthe finances the imports for the fiscal year ending on the 30th of june last were ofthe value of one hun dred and fifty-four million nine hundred and sev enty seveu thousand eight hundred and seventy six dollars ; of which the amount ex|Â»orled was twenty-one million ono hundred and twenty eight thousand and ten dollars leaving one hun dred and thirty-three million eight hundred and forty nine thousand eight hundied and sixty-six dollars iu the country for domestic use the value ofthe exports for the same period was one hundred and fifty four million thirty two thousand one hundred and thirty-one dol lars consisting of domestic productions amount ing to one hundied and thirty-two million nine hundred and four thousand one hundred and twenty-one dollars and twenty-one million one hundred and twenty-eight thousand and ten dol lars of foreign articles the receipts into the treasury for ihe same period exclusive of loans amounted lo ihirfy five million four hundred and thirty-six thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars and fifty nine cents oi which there was derived from custom thirty-one million seven hundied and fifty-seven thousand and seventy dollars and ninety six cents ; from sales of public lands three million and tweity eight thousand six hundied and for ly-lwo dollars and fifty-six cents ; ami from mis cellaneous and incidental sources three hun dred and filly-one thousand and thirty-seven dollars and seven rents il will be perceived lhat the revenue from customs for ihe last fiscal year exceeded by sev en hundred and fifty-seven thousand and seven ly dollars and ninety-sii cents the estimate of the secretary of ihe treasury in his last annual report ; and lhal tho aggregate leceipta during the same period from customs lands and mis cellaneous sources also exceeded iho climate by the sum of five hundied and thirty ux thou sand seveu hundred and fifty dollars and filly nine cents â€” indicating however a very neat approach in ihe cbliunie lo ibe actual result the expenditures d'uin the fiscal year end ing on ihe 30th of june laÂ«i including those for llie war and exclusive o payments of principal and interest lor the public debt were forty-two million eight hundred and eleven thousand uine hundred and seventy dollars and three cent it is estimated that the receipts into the trea sury for the fiscal year ending on the thirtieth ol june 1819 including ihe balance in the treasury on the first of july last will amount to the sum of fifty-seven million forty-eight thou sand nine hundred and sixty nine dollars and ninety cent ; of which thirty two millions of dollars it is estimated wi he derived from cus tom ; three million nf dolian from the saleiof the public lain ; and one million two hundred thousand dollars from miscellaneous and inci dental sources including ihe premium uj>on the loan and ihe amount paid and to be paid into tho treasury on account of military contributions iu mexico and the sale < !' aims and vessels and other public property rendered unnecessa ry fÂ»r ibe use ol the government by iho termi nation ol the war and twenty million six hun dred and ninety five thousand lour hundred and ibirty-five dollars and thirty cents from loans already negotiated including treasury notes funded which together wilh the balance in the treasury on the liroi of july hut make the sum estimated the expenditures for the same period includ ing the necessary payment on account of the principal and interest of the public debt and he principal and intere d ofthe first instalment

i'lvi-in of the w;it liiiian l gabscriptiob per year two dollars payable in advance but it not paid in advance two dollars 8ud fifty cts will be charged apcbktiskmkvts inserted at 1 for the first and 2o cts for each subsequent insertion court orders charged 25 per ct higher than these rates a liberal deduc tion io those who advertise by the year letters to the editors must be post paid presidents message to the senate and house of rejircsenlatives of the un'ded states : it was known that mines ofthe precious metals existed to a considerable extent in california at the time of its acquisition â€” recent discoveries render it probable that ! these mines are more extensive and val . uable than was anticipated the ac j counts of the abundance of gold in that i territory are such an extraordinary char acter as would scarcely command belief were they not corroborated by the authen tic reports of oliicers in the public service who have visited the mineral district and derived the facts which they detail from personal observation reluctant to credit the reports in general circulation as to the quantity of gold the olficer commanding our forces in california visited the mine ral district in july last for the purpose of obtaining accurate information on the sub ject his report to the war department ofthe result of his examination and the facts obtained on the spot is herewith laid before congress when he visited the country there were about four thousand persons engaged in collecting gold â€” there is every reason to believe lhat the number of persons so employed has since been augmented the explorations al ready made warrant the belief that the supply is very large and that gold is found at various places in an extensive district of country information received from officers of the navy and other sources though not so full and minute confirm the accounts of he commander of our military force in california it appears also from these eports.that mines of quicksilver are found n the vicinity of the gold region one of ihem is now being worked and is believ ed to be among the most productive in the world the effects produced by the discovery of these rich mineral deposites and the success which has attended the labors of those who have resorted to them have produced a surprising change in the state : of affairs in california labor commands fan exorbitant price and all other pursuits i iut that of searching for the precious met j ' bis are abandoned nearly the whole of j the male population of the country have j gone to the gold district ships arriving on the coast are deserted by their crews j and their voyages suspended for want of j sailors our commanding officer there j entertains apprehensions that soldiers can ! not be kept in the public service without ! a large increase of pay desertions in his ! command have become frequent and he j j recommends that those who shall with | 1 stand the strong temptation and remain faithful should be rewarded this abundance of gold and the all-en j grossing pursuit of it have already caused | in california an unprecedented rise in the price ofthe necessaries of life that we may the more speedily and j fully avail ourselves of the undeveloped i wealth of these mines it is deemed of vast j i importance lhat a branch of the mint of i the united states be authorized to be es j i tablished at your present session in cali ! i fornia among other signal advantages j which would result from such an establish \ | ment would be that of raising the gold to its par value in that territory a branch \ mint ofthe united states at the great com mercial depot on the west coast would convert into our own coin not only the ! gold derived from our own rich mines but j also the bullion and specie which our ' commerce may bring from the whole west i coast of central and south america â€” i the west coast of america and the adja . cent interior embrace the richest and best i mines of mexico new grenada central * america chili and peru the bullion and specie drawn from these countries and especially from those of western mexico and peru to an amount in value of many millions of dollars arc now an nually diverted and carried by the ships ol great britain to her own ports to be recoined or used to sustain her national bank and thus contribute to increase her ability to command so much of the com merce of the world if a branch mint be established at the great commercial point upon that coast a vast amount of bullion < and specie would how thither to be re i coined and pass thence to new orleans i new york and other atlantic cities â€” the amount of our constitutional curren cy at home would be greatly increased while its circulation abroad would be pro moted it is well known to our merchants trading to china and the west coast of america that great inconvenience and loss arc experienced from the fact that ; our coins arc not current at their par va ; lue in those countries the powers of europe far removed from the west coast o america by the atlantic ocean which intervenes and by a tedious and dangerous navigation a round the southern cape of the continent of america can never successfully com pete with the united states in the rich and extensive commerce which is opened to us at so much less cost by the acquisi tion of california the vast importance and commercial â– advantages of california have heretofore remained undeveloped by the government ] ot the country of which it constituted a part now that this fine province is a ! part of our country all the states of the | 1 nion some more immediately and di j rectly than others are deeply interested n the speedy development of its wealth nd resources no section of our coun try is more interested or will be more benefited than the commercial naviga j tlngi and manufacturing interests of the i the carolina watchman brunerttames ) editors 4 proprietors \ " k a g â€¢Â»â€¢'â– â„¢* u,â€ž-i.iu,ri,m i volume v number s3 salisbury n g thursday december 21 1848 eastern mates our planting and farm ing interests in every part of the union will be greatly benefited by it as our commerce and navigation are enlarged and extended our exports of agricultural products and of manufactures will be in creased ; and in the new markets thus opened they cannot fail to command re munerating and profitable prices the acquisition of california and new mexico the settlement of the oregon boundary and the annexation of texas extending to the rio grande are results which combined are of greater conse quence and will add more to the strength and wealth of the nation than any which have preceded them since the adoption of the constitution ttut to effect these great results not on ly california but new mexico must be brought under the control of regularly organized governments the existing condition of california and of that part of new mexico lying west of the rio grande and without the limits of texas imperiously demand that congress should at its present session organize territorial governments over them upon the exchange of ratifications of the treaty of peace with mexico on the thirtieth of may last the temporary gov ernments which had been established over new mexico and california by our mili 1 tary and naval commanders by virtue of the rights of war ceased to derive any obligatory force from that source of au thority and having been ceded to the united states all government and con trol over them under the authority of mexico had ceased to exist impressed with the necessity of establishing territo rial governments over them i recommend ed the subject to the favorable considera tion of congress in my message commu nicating the ratified treaty of peace on the sixth of july last and invoked their action at that session congress adjourn j ed without making any provision for their ! government the inhabitants by the j transfer of their country had become en ' titled to the benefits of our laws and con ! stitution and yet were left without any ! regularly organized government since j that time the very limited power posses sed by the executive has been exercised to preserve and protect them from the in j evitable consequences of a state of an ! archy the only government which re j mained was that established by the mili i tary authority during the war regard ing this to be a de facto government and that by the presumed consent of the in habitants it might be continued tempora rily they were advised to conform and | submit to it for the short intervening pe riod before congress would again assem i ble and could legislate on the subject â€” ! the views entertained by the executive | on this point are contained in a communi \ cation of the secretary of state dated the seventh of october last which was forwarded for publication tocalifornia and new mexico a copy of which is here with transmitted the small military force of the regular army which was serving within the lim its of the acquired territories at the close of the war was retained in them and ad ditional forces have been ordered there for the protection of the inhabitants and to preserve and secure the rights and in terests of the united states no revenue has been or could be col lected at the ports in california because congress failed to authorize the establish ment of custom-houses or the appoint ment of officers for that purpose the secretary of the treasury by a circular letter addressed to collectors of the customs on the seventh day of octo ber last a copy of which is herewith trans mitted exercised all the power with which he was invested by law in pursuance of the act of the four teenth of august last extending the ben efit of our post office laws to the people of california the postmaster general has appointed two agents who have pro ceeded the one to california and the oth er to oregon with authority to make the necessary arrangements for carrying its provisions into effect the monthly line of mail steamers from panama to astoria has been required to " stop and deliver and take mails at san diego monterey and san francisco these mail steamers connected by the isthmus of panama with the line of mail i steamers on the atlantic between new york and chagres will establish a regu lar mail communication with california it is our solemn duty to provide with the least practicable delay for new mex ico and california regularly organized territorial governments the causes of the failure to do this at the last session of congress are well known and deeply to : be regretted with the opening prospects of increased prosperity and national great j ness which the acquisition of these rich and extensive territorial possessions af fords how irrational it would be to forego or to reject these advantages by the agi tation of a domestic question which is coeval with the existence of our govern ment itself and to endanger by internal strifes geographical divisions and heated contests for political power or for any other cause the harmony of the glorious union of our confederated states ; that 1 union which binds as together as one i people and which for sixty years has been lour shield and protection against every j danger in the eyes of the world and of j posterity how trivial and insignificant will be all our internal divisions and strug gles compared wilh the preservation of this union of the states in all its vigor and with all its countless blessings ! no i patriot would foment and excite geogra : phical and sectional divisions no lover ! of his country would deliberately calcu late the value of the union future gen j orations would look in amazement upon tb.2 folly of such a course other nations at the present day would look upon it ; with astonishment ; and such of them as desire to maintain and perpetuate thrones ' and monarchical or aristocratical princi ; pies will view it with exultation and de j light because in it they will see the ele ments of faction which they hope must i ultimately overturn our system ours is the great example of a prosperous and ; free self governed republic commanding | the admiration and the imitation of all i the lovers of freedom throughout the j world how solemn therefore is the du ty how impressive the call upon us and upon all parts of our country to cultivate a patriotic spirit of harmony of good fel lowship of compromise and mutual con cession in the administration of the in comparable system of government formed by our fathers in the midst of almost inse parable difficulties and transmitted to us with the injunction that we should enjoy its blessings and hand it down unimpaired to those who may come after us ! in view of the high and responsible du ties which we owe to ourselves and to mankind i trust you may be able at your present session to approach the adjust ment of the only domestic question which seriously threatens or probably ever can threaten to disturb the harmony and suc cessful operation of our system the immensely valuable possessions of new mexico and california are already inhabited by a considerable population â€” attracted by their great fertility their mineral wealth their commercial advan tages and the salubrity^of the climate emigrants from the older states in great numbers are already preparing to seek new homes in these inviting regions shall the dissimilarity of the domestic institutions in the different states prevent us from providing for them suitable gov ernments ? these institutions existed at the adoption of the constitution but the obstacles which they interposed were overcome by that spirit of compromise which is now i invoked in a conflict of opinions or of interests real or imaginary between different sections of our country neither can justly demand all which it might desire to obtain each in the true spirit of our institutions should concede something to the other our gallant forces in the mexican war by whose patriotism and unparalleled deeds of arms we obtained these possessions as an indemnity for our just demands a gaiust mexico were composed of citizens who belonged to no one state or section of our union they were men from slave holding and non-slaveholding states from the north and the south from the east : and the west they were all companions in-arms and fellow-citizens of the same i common country engaged in the same common cause when prosecuting that war they were brethren and friends and shared alike with each other common toils dangers and sufferings now when their work is ended when peace is restored and they return again to their homes put off the habiliments of war take their places in society and resume their pursuits in civil life surely a spirit of harmony and concession and of equal regard for the rights of all and of all sections ofthe union ought to prevail in providing governments for the acquired territories â€” the fruits of their common service the whole people of the united states and of every state contributed to defray the expenses of that war ; and it would not be just for any one section to exclude another from all parti cipation in the acquired territory this would not be in consonance with the just system of government which the frame rs ofthe constitution adopted the question is believed to be rather abstract than practical whether slavery ever can or would exist in any portion of the acquired territory even if it were left lo the opinion of the slave holding states themselves from the nature of the climate and productions in much the larger portion of it it is certain it could never exist ; | and in tho remainder the probabilities are it ; would not but however this may be the ques ; tion involving as it does a principle of equali | ty of rights ofthe seperatc and several states as equal co-partners in the confederacy should not he disregarded in organizing governments over these terri tories no duty imposed on congress by the constitution requires that they should legislate on the subject of slavery while their power to : do so is not only seriously questioned but de nicd by many ofthe soundest expounders of that ; instrument whether congress shall legislate â– or not the people ofthe acquired territories when assembled in convention to form state constitutions will possess the sole and exclu sive power to determine for themselves wheth er slavery shall or shall not exist within their limits if congress shall abstain from interfer ing with the question the people of those ter ritories will be left free to adjust it as they may think proper when they apply for admission as states into the union no enactment of congress could restrain ihe i people of any of the sovereign stales of the union old or new north or south slave-hold ing or non slave holding from determining the character of their own domestic institutions as j they may deem wise and proper any and all j the states possess this right and congress can ' not deprive ihem of it the people of georgia : might if they chose so alter their constitution j as to abolish slavery within its limits ; and the i people of vermont might so alter their consti ! lotion a9 to admit slavery within its limits â€” ; both stales would possess the right ; though â– as all know it is nut probable lhal either would | exert it it is fortunate for the peace and harmony of : the union that ihis question is in its nature | temporary andean only continue for the brief . period which will intervene before california and new mexico may be admitted as stales j into the union from the tide of population 1 now flowing into them it is highly probable ! that this will soon occur considering the several stales and the citi ' ! zens ofthe several states as equals and cnti i tied lo equal rights under the constitution if this i were an original question it might well be in j sisled on lhat the principle of non-interference , is the true doctrine and that congress could j not in the absence of any express grant of pow j er interfere with iheir relative rights upon a great emergency however and no i der menacing dangers lo the union ihe mis souri compromise lino in respect to slavery was adopted the same line was extended further west in the acquisition of texas after an ac quiescence of nearly thirty years in the princi pie of compromise recognized and established by ihese acts and to avoid the danger to the union which might follow if it were nowdisre j garded i have heretofore expressed the opinion j lhat that line of compromise should be extend ed on the parallel of thirty-six degrees thirty minutes from the western boundary of texas where it now terminates to the pacific ocean ! this is the middle ground of compromise up i on which the different sections of the union may meet as they have heretofore met if this be done it is confidently believed a large j majority ofthe people of every section of the ! country however widely their abstract opinions | on the subject of slavery may differ would j cheerfully and patriotically acquiesce in it and j peace and harmony would again fill our borders j the resliiction north of the line was only yielded to in the case of missouri and texas | upon a principle of compromise made necessa ! ry for the sake of preserving the harmony and possibly the existence ofthe union it was upon these considerations lhat at the ! close of your last session i gave my sanction to ' ihe principle ofthe missouri compromise line by approving and signing the bill to establish " the territorial government ol oregon â€” i from a sincere desire to preserve the harmony ofthe union and in deference for the acts of my predecessors i felt constrained to yield my aequiescience to the extent lo which they had gone in compromising this delicate and danger j ous question but if congress shall now re verse the decision by which the missouri com promise was effected and shall propose io ex tend the restriction over tho whole territory i j south as well as north of the parallel of thirty ' j six degrees thirty minutes it will cease lobe a < ! compromise and must be regarded as an orig i inal question if congress instead of observing the course j â– of non-interference leaving the adoption of their i j own domestic institutions to the people who may j inhabit these territories : or if instead of ex ! tending the missouri compromise line to the pacific shall prefer to submit tho legal and j constitutional questions which may aiise to the decision of ihe judicial tribunals as was propos ed in a bill which passed the senate at your i last session an adjustment may be effected in this mode if tho whole subject be referred to the judiciary all parts ot he union should : cheei fully acquiesce in the final decision ofthe i tribunal created by the constitution for the set tlement of all questions which may arise under the constitution treaties and laws ofthe unit ed states congress is earnestly invoked lor the sake of the union its harmony and our continued pros perity as a nalion lo adjust at its present ses sion this the only dangerous question which ; lies iu our path â€” if not in some one of the : i modes suggested in some oilier which may be satisfactory j in anticipation ofthe establishment of regu lar governments over the acquired territories a joint commission of oliicers ofthe army and na vy has been ordered lo proceed to the coast of california and oregon for the purpose of mak ing reconnoissancps and a report as to ibe pro per silos for the erection of fortifications or other defensive works on land and of suitable situations for naval stations the information which may be expected from a scientific and skillful examination of ihe whole face of the coast will be eminently useful to congress when they come to consider the propriety of making appropriations for these great national subjects proper defences on land will be necessary tor the security and protection of our posses sions ; and the establishment of navy yards and a dock for the repair and construction of vessels will be important alike to our navy and com mercial marine without such establishments , cvery vessel whether of ihe navy or of ihe mer chant service requiring repair must at great expense come round cape horn lo one of our 1 atlantic yards for that purpose wilh such es tablishments vessels it is believed may be built or repaired as cheaply in california as upon the ( atlantic coast they would give : employment lo many of our enterprising ship builders and mechanics and greatly ficilitale j and enlarge our commerce in the pacific as it is ascertained that mines of gold silver copper and quicksilver exist in new mexico and california and lhat nearly all the lands where they are found belong to the 1 nited states it is deemed important to the public in . terest that provision be made for a geological and mineralogical cxaminaiian of these regions measures should be adopted to preserve the â€¢ mineral lands especially such a3 contain the precious metals for the use of the united slates : or if brought into market to seperatc them from \ the farming lands and dispose of ihem in such manner as to secure a largo return of money : to the treasury and at ihe same lime lead to the developments of their wcallb by individual proprietors and purchasers to do this it will be necessary lo provide for an immediate stir ] vey and localionoahe lots if congress should deem it proper to dispose of the mineral lands they should be sold iu small quantities at a fix ' ed minimum price â€¢ i recommend that surveyor generals offices be authorized to be established in new mexico and california and provision made for survey ing and bringing ihe public lands into the mar ket at ihe earliest practicable period in dis posing of these lands i recommend that the right of pre-emption be secured and liberal giants made to the early emigrants who have ; settled or may settle upon them t 11 1 â€¢ it will be important to extend our revenue laws over these territories and especially over california at an early period there is alrea ' dy a considerable commerce with california ' ; and until ports of entry shall lie established and i collectors appniikeil.no revenue can be received if these and oilier necessary and proper mea i sures be adopted for the development of the wealth and resources of new mexico and cal ifornia and regular territorial governments be established over them such will probably be the rapid enlargement of our commerce and navigation and such the addition to the national wealth that the present generation may live lo witness the controlling commercial and mone j tary power ofthe world transferred from loo i don and other european emporiums to the city of new york the apprehensions which were entertained , by some of our statesmen in the earlier periods ; | ol the government that our system was incapa ! ble of operating with sufficient energy and sue , cess over largely extended territorial limits and that if this were attempted it would fail to j pieces by its own weakness have been dissi | ' patcd by our experience in the division of i power between the states and federal govern ment the latter is found to operate with as much energy in the extreme as in the centre il is | as efficient in the remotest ofthe thirty states [ which now compose the union as il was in the ', thirteen states which formed our constitution indeed it may well be doubted whether if j our present population had been confined wilh j in llie limits ol the original thirteen states the j tendencies to centralization and consolidation | would not have been such as to have encroach j ed upon tho essential reserved rights of the t states and thus to have made the federal gov j ernment a widely different one practically from ! what it is in theory and was intended to be by i its fraraers so far from entertaining appre hensions ofthe safety of our system by the ex tension of our territory the belief is confidently i entertained that each new state gives strength and an additional guaranty for the preservation of the union itself in the pursuance ofthe provisions ofthe thir teenth article ofthe treaty of peace friendship i limits and settlement with the republic of mex i ico and of ihe act of july the 29th 1813 claims i of our citizens against the mexican republic a mounting with llie interest thereon to two mil i lion twenty-three thousand eight hundred and | thirty-two dollars and llfiy-one cents have been j liquidated and paid there remain to be paid of these claims seventy-four thousand one hun dred ninety iwo dollars and twenty-six cents congress at its last session having made no provision for executing the fifteenth article of ! the treaty by which the united states assume > to make satisfaction for the unqualified claims | : of our citizens against mexico to " an amount ' not exceeding three and a quarter millions of dollars the subject is again recommended to your favorable consideration the exchange of ratifications of the treaty with mexico took place on the 30th may 1848 within one year after lhat time the commis sioner and surveyor which each government stipulated to appoint are required to meet " at the port of san diego and proceed to run and mark the said boundary in its whole course lo ; the mouth ofthe rio isravo did norte il will ''â– be seen from this provision that the period wilhin which a commissioner and surveyor of the respective governments are to meet at san diego will expire on the 30lh may 1849 â€¢ congress at the close of its last session made an appropriation for the expenses of running and making tho boundary line between the two countries but did not fix the amount of salary which should be paid to the commission er and surveyor lo be appointed on the part of the united states it is desirable that the a mount of compensation which they shall re ceive should be prescribed by law and nol left as at present to executive discretion measures were adopted at the earliest prac â€¢ licablc period to organize the territorial gov ernment of oregon as authorized by the act of the fourteenth of august last the governor and marshal of the territory accompanied by a small military escort left the state of missouri in september last and took the southern route by ihe way of santa fe and river ci i la to cal ifornia with ihe intention of proceeding thence in one of our vessels of war to their destination the governor was fully advised of the great im portance of his early arrival in the country and it is confidently believed he may reach oregon in the latter part ofthe present month or early in the next the other officers for the terri ' tory have proceeded by sea in ihe month of may last i communicated in formation to congress lhal an indian war had broken out in oregon and recommended lhat auihoriiv he given lo raise an adequate number of volunteers to proceed without delay lo ihe1 assistance of our fellow-cilizens iu lhat territo ry the authority to raise such a force nol having been granted by congress as soon as tlnir services could be dispensed with in mexi co orders were issued to the regiment ol mount ed riflemen to proceed to jefferson barracks in missouri and to prepare to match to oregon as soon as the necessary provision could be made shortly before it was ready to march il was arreted bv ibe provision ofthe art parsed by congress on the last day of the last session which directed that all the non commissioned officers musicians and private of that regi ment who had been in service in mexico should upon theii application be entitled to be discharged the effect ofthis provision was to disband iho rank and file of the regiment ; and before their places could be filled by rectuit ihe reason had o far advanced iln it was iiw practicable lor it lo proceed until the opening o ihe nesl spring in iho month oi october last ibe accompany ing communication was received from the guv ernor ofthe temporary government of oregon giving information of the coniinuance of tbe in dian disturbances and ofthe destitution and de fenceless condition ofthe inhabitants oijera were immediately tiansmitled lo the comman der of our squadron in the pacific to despatch lo their assistance a pari of the naval forces on that station to furnish ihem with arm>and am munition and to continue to gi\e ihem such aid and protection as ibe navy could alford until the army could reach llie country it is ihe policy ol humanity and one which has always been pur.-ued by ihe it i 1 slates lo cultivate the good will of ibe aboriginal iribes ol ihis continent and to restrain them from mak ing war and indulging i excesses by mild means rather than by force that ihis could have been done with the tiibes in oregon bad that territory been brought under the gover fo ment of our laws at an earlier peii.,d and had suitable measures been adopted bv con the loan and ihe amount paid and to be paid into tho treasury on account of military contributions iu mexico and the sale < !' aims and vessels and other public property rendered unnecessa ry fÂ»r ibe use ol the government by iho termi nation ol the war and twenty million six hun dred and ninety five thousand lour hundred and ibirty-five dollars and thirty cents from loans already negotiated including treasury notes funded which together wilh the balance in the treasury on the liroi of july hut make the sum estimated the expenditures for the same period includ ing the necessary payment on account of the principal and interest of the public debt and he principal and intere d ofthe first instalment